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USDA Nursing Mothers Room's
Breastfeeding and Expectant
Mothers Are you expecting a baby and considering breastfeeding? Or are you a new mother who wants to continue breastfeeding after returning to work? USDA has a service to help you combine the demands of working and breastfeeding so that your breastfeeding experience is as pleasant and convenient as possible: the USDA Nursing Mothers Room. What is a Nursing Mothers Room?The Nursing Mothers Room is a private facility where nursing mothers can pump their breast milk, store it safely while at work, and then take their milk home to their babies. Breastfeeding provides important benefits to mothers, babies, and employers. Breast milk is the most complete infant food and also protects the infant against infections and allergies. Breastfeeding is the most economical and convenient way for a mother to feed her baby. Women who breastfeed share a special bond with their babies. Providing working mothers with this type of facility gives them the opportunity to extend this bonding period. An intangible benefit of the Nursing Mothers Room is availability of information on breastfeeding and the informal support system between prospective and continuing breastfeeding mothers. The employer also benefits from supporting breastfeeding in the workplace. New mothers come back to work sooner and are out less frequently to care for sick infants - their babies are healthier. New mothers are happier on the job when they can combine work with breastfeeding. The Nursing Mothers Room has a private area with comfortable chairs, a breast pump for expressing milk, and hooks for hanging clothing and/or breast pump accessory kits. The room is also equipped with a sink area for clean up; a refrigerator for storage of breast milk; a mirror; a reference and video center; and a bulletin board for sharing information and advice. The USDA Nursing Mothers Room is located in Room 1204, Wing 2, first floor of the South Agriculture Building. Mothers may bring their own pump to use in the room. The Nursing Mothers Room also is equipped with a Medela electric hospital grade pump. In order to use the pump, each mother needs an accessory kit. The accessory kit includes all parts that touch the mother or the mother's milk. This ensures that there is no cross-contamination of the milk. You can get the accessory kit from the hospital when you deliver. In that case, the cost of the kit is generally covered by your health insurance policy. Otherwise, call Medela at 1-800-835-5968 for information on the distributor nearest you. A Medela single- or double-pumping kit is suggested, as well as obtaining a spare accessory kit, or at least extra filters and washers. A sign-up sheet is used to schedule the time you want to use the room. It can take 15-30 minutes to use the pump. The room is locked to ensure the mother's security and privacy. To obtain a key to the room, please contact the Health Unit at 202-720-3281, Room 1038. Please return the key to the Health Unit when you are finished. The successful operation of the room depends on the voluntary efforts of the users. Each mother is responsible for cleaning her own accessory kit and for overall maintenance of the room. A list of specific user responsibilities will be provided to each woman when she signs up. Nursing Mother's Room (NMR) Employee Contacts: A Message from Secretary Dan
Glickman The benefits of breastfeeding to the mother and her child are numerous and well-documented. Breastfeeding facilitates the mother's postpartum recovery, enhances the mother's self-esteem and confidence, and creates a special closeness between the new mother and her infant. Breastfeeding strengthens a newborn's immune system, reduces the incidence of allergies and or ear and respiratory infections, and provides the most complete, convenient, and economical source of nourishment for infants. Less well-known are the benefits that employers accrue from providing support to nursing mothers returning to the workplace. Breastfeeding mothers return to work sooner after the birth of their child, take less sick leave to care for their children who are more resistant to illness, have lower health care costs, and demonstrate higher productivity, job satisfaction, and morale. Supporting nursing mothers also enhances the reputation of employers and promotes a family-friendly workplace. In an effort to support women in the USDA workforce who choose to breastfeed their newborns, I am pleased to announce the opening of the USDA Nursing Mothers Room in Room 1204 of the South Building and plans for establishing nursing mothers rooms in both the new Beltsville office facility and at the APHIS complex in Riverdale, MD, joining the facility established in 1992 at the Food and Consumer Service headquarters in Alexandria, VA. Supporting nursing mothers means healthier babies, happier mothers, and more productive employees. Let's work together as the USDA community to help provide that support. Locations
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